Robin's Blog-tastic Bloggsky

2006-11-26T17:47:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving; just pilgrims and pumpkin pie??? Nope, here are some Thanksgiving Bible verses, enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving!
http://christianity.about.com/od/thanksgivingverses/a/thanksgivingver.htm

2006-11-15T18:07:00.000-08:00

Erica The Great!
I want to take a moment to point out what a great job Erica is doing on her blog. I thoroughly have been enjoying her blogs, especially those touching on 'The Slave." In her great work 'Repetition of Ancient Experiences', I too shared the urge to get outside and trample through some 'untouched' place, or at least somewhere that has not been paved, while reading The Slave! Not only was this a good example of how we can and should be applying our learning as a sort of continuing inner dialogue, but her blog also tied together some interesting thoughts about Jacob. Jacob's revelations and/or epiphanies if you will, are oftentimes of the Sublime. This coupling of awesome and awful experience is something that I really enjoyed throughout the novel. Sometimes I also get this feeling of elation paired with awe when I set out in the mornings to school and the sun is coming up over the mountains. I don't like that I don't take the time to look at them every morning, but when I do, they still seem to surprise me with their form, color, and piercing angles reaching to the sky. I also feel my 'human-ness' at night when the sun goes down and the sky turns bright pink. Yes, it is beautiful but the arc of the clouds over the horizon reminds me that we are small on a small planet in a small solar system in the scheme of things.

2006-11-05T18:51:00.000-08:00

This movie blew my mind!!! I can't remember if 211 was the class in which the professor told us to rent this, but I think that this movie applies to our class in a huge way! It isn't an anti-religion movie, but more of a 'make your own existance' type documentary, comparing the scientific to the spiritual. It was really inspiring for me. It also fit in well with the idea of reading the Bible more as a metaphor, and that it may be that the Bible was not written as a end-all truth to life, but more of a beautiful collection of accounts from people finding their ways through the ups and downs of life. The questions we ask ourselves about life stem from the idea that the truth is out there somewhere to be found, and if we are good we will find it. It reminded me of the way that Job is left at the end- ''what is the point of all this suffering." Frye tells us that the intention of God is not to tell us the secret of life because this would stifle our questioning. This movie points out the importance of a pro-active life, and the power of the mind, in which Frye is allududing to. The freedom to explore and ask questions, to find our own inner-peace, is what I took from Frye on this subject. (I may be way off, but that is what I got out of the movie, and our class thus far. Really, rent this, it will really change the way you look at life, or give you something to at least ponder)

2006-11-05T17:28:00.000-08:00

I was able to go to 'The Theology of Flyfishing' that Dr. Sexson invited us to. As I attend Journey on a regular basis, the first Presbyterian had a lot more, how shall I say this, 'White-hairs' in the audience than what I was used to, so I settled in for a thought-provoking and of course traditional service. I was looking forward singing some old hymns, 'shall the cir-cle, be un-bro-ken???' I was pleasantly surprised by the intro music, a Jazz band with a really great sax player! Anyways, Dr. Sexon took to the pulpit looking calm and with the air of the early 1900's. He spoke with a pleasant Montana yokel accent, which I think added a bit of validity but not compromising his voice's engaging highs and lows, that he uses to keep our attention in class. Here is a synopsis:
Rev. John Norman Maclean actually preached from the exact same pulpit that is used now in the First Presbyterian Church on the corner of Wilson and West Babcock. Norman, Paul, and he spent many an afternoon fishing the Big Blackfoot, which became his classroom; there, of course, was no clear line between religion and flyfishing. River's and humans are both God's creation and in this natural classroom JN would ask his pupils (Norman and Paul) what the chief end is in life, to which they would answer in unison 'To glorify God and enjoy him forever'. JN went on to preach that the river, like life, has a voice and a message for each one of us. As JN first thought that water was God's first creation, he realized that 'The Word' was the first creation, and 'The Word' is the eternal bedrock of life. (aaaaah, do you see that subtle play on the river allusion?) The river makes sounds to us and 'the spirit of God and water merge and A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT'. Dr. Sexson, or JN Maclean, pointed out the idea of river, man, and God being easily connected throughout the gospel. One example being that the apostles were 'fishers of men'. Paul's gift from God was the rhythm to his fly casting; it was his way to glorify God. Paul was beautiful, God's creation (aaaah, Brad!). This idea is comparable to the way in which the people of the First Presbyterian are all blessed with an art however meek or grand in appearance and application. JN used the idea that the visionary of the church was key to God's plan as is the woman who makes cookies for the worker's that build it; they are both talents which can be used by the community.

Rev. Maclean had three parts to his sermon, and compared them to the way in which Dicken's Christmas Carol is split, a ghost from the past, present, and future. Each point was a different 'cast' with his hook. He compared hooks used by fisherman to words, as words also have the power to 'hook' us in their own way. BEGINNING-The all-knowing time transcending Rev. Maclean asked the question of how much have we really advanced? He was of course talking about the First Presbyterian Church's first beginnings in Bozeman in 1880 when there were wagon trains and native's migrating or settling through the Gallitan Valley. Presently the Naked Noodle and other businesses dot the area, and now the agricultural fields have moved aside for the 'betterment' of society, being that of subdivisions and commericalization. The idea of the optimistic religion that is Christianity plays a crucial role, whether at present we are advancing or not. The church is a positive in the world of flux, much the way that Moses was a beacon to those during the Exodus. PRESENT- The commanding presence that is the church can be compared to now as once the canyon was to be seen in awe and not skied, so is the metamorphosis that is the First Presbyterian. We are using them to fit our changing needs. Buildings are used for the spiritual connection to God's message, and gives us insight into God's nature, or theology. His son Paul's talent was they way in which his casting glorifies God by, again, picking up on God's rhythms, the church is the conductor in a sense. FUTURE- Honing in on their individual talents (those members of the First Pres. Church) they are able to glorify God and be the optimism in Bozeman. Like in John's revelation when all things are rolled away, it will show what is really there- We are all just (busted Dr. Sexson :))gathered by the river in the end. Come to the water of life freely, such an end is only a beginning haunted by waters- and the great Rev. Maclean ended with a wise and heartfelt ' and the grace of God be with you all'.

2006-11-04T11:14:00.000-08:00

In Frye's chapter 15 he compares the proverb with the fable. The idea coming from proverbs and fables both hold life's little learned lessons in short paletable snippits to which we can apply to our own lives. Frye writes that there are two kinds of proverbs (and fables), those that are for the fortunate and those for people who do not have advantages of wealth and stature in society, the latter being the more popular of the two. I wanted to share this fable: http://www.umass.edu/aesop/content.php?n=10&i=1 The colorful Fox and the Grapes. In the fox and the grapes, the diligant fox tries and tries to jump to the grapes but fails and fails. It is easier for the fox to give up with the idea that 'they are probably sour anyways'. We can apply this to Frye's idea that these proverbs and fables, popularly written in-part for those 'down-and-out' in certain areas of their lives, can find solace in refusing the 'grass is always greener' mentality and accepting the teachings in place for them (us). We don't want that kind of lifestyle/ God has a plan for my meak life/ I am happier here serving, etc. are all ways that we can apply this teaching to our lives, through the Fox and the Grapes, as Frye points out. Maybe this is why he speaks that this form of fable is the more popular of the two, because after all we all find ourselves as the underdog in our lives now that then.

2006-11-04T09:20:00.000-08:00

THE SLAVE
I really enjoyed Singer's novel, The Slave, for many reasons. The first thing that struck me was the style in which Singer wrote. It was like a really long poem. Not in that it rhymed, but that the imagry and the carefully constructed characters and their interactions seemed like a beautiful and emotional dance. I compared this book to the way I felt when I first watched the movie 'The Count of Monte Cristo', the movie based on the novel written by Alexandre Dumas. The stories were very different, but the way in which there is a surprise twist in the middle, and the ever-so-committed hero dedicates his life to his passionate means. The Count's metaphorical god could be his revenge, but delving a little deeper it is the mad who he meets in jail that creates his drive and gives him means in which to do it. Much like Jacob's dedication to his religion. Jacob's beliefs and convictions are so strong! That is something that stuck out throughout the book. He was in love with Wanda, but still his God was first. He was so deep in his beliefs that he was physically sickened by the thought of eating flesh, saying that he himself is flesh and could not eat of the meats served to him.
Jacob's life seems to be more of a W-shape rather than Frye's 'U' shape. Jacob has a wife and family, then they are seperated and killed, Jacob is sent to a new place to be a shaphard. He meets Wanda, who he has romantic feelings towards, and she returns them (and the middle arch of the U is formed). Then they flee and she has to become mute, and she dies, Jacob is taken away. Then to form the arch up, he goes back for the child, raises him and dies while attempting to asses people at the poorhouse. Although for us this many be a very shallow W, one that doesn't have high highs but does have low low's but it seems that Jacob intended his life to be without much pleasure, constantly being self-evaluative and scorning his sins, then living an existence that will counteract 'his sins'. Maybe this was Jacob's way of becoming the scapegoat? Dying in the poorhouse yet upholding his strong faith in God. In this way he is in a way becoming a king in his own right. He dies as a sort of martyr who has been publically embarassed and slandered in his life many times; possibly this is where he gains his kingdom, as in Frye's king symbolism.

2006-11-03T08:27:00.000-08:00

Hello readers! For those of you who actually are taking the time to read this, I just want to explain about not telling my story in class. I was having a really bad day, and instead of subjecting you all to an uncomfortable bawl session, I declined the invitation to share in class. I heard some of you talking about it being stupid that I had put something on my blog and would not share it in class, so thanks for that, and although I don't feel that I need to explain, there it is.

2006-10-20T07:48:00.000-07:00

My really bad day consisted of, last week, me getting a call from my Aunt saying that my house had burnt down. Luckily no one was hurt and of course I left immediately to drive home to Libby to be with my family and help with the rubble. My boyfriend of a year also lives in Libby, and so I went over to his house to see him for some support (losing the house I grew up in was quite hard) and he broke up with me, for no apparent reason. ALL IN THE SAME DAY!
That's a bad one!

2006-10-15T21:59:00.000-07:00

Something that keeps coming up for me, and besides my appeal to the use of birds aside from my namesake, is how birds are used in the beginning of "The Slave". As he slave hears and sees birds in his day, it sticks out for me because I know birds or winged creatures take on many different roles. Of course there is the dove, signifying peace and of course land as Noah's dove brings him an olive branch, signifying life outside the ark. Also there are Angels, the birds of heaven. Could it be that the way the bodies are surrounded by the beautiful and powerful wings of angels and birds somehow reflects the other, being God. Flight has forever teased the human condition. Superman's magic cape, Alladin's magic carpet, and the bumble bee, a physical anomole, are all associated in a way with forces outside ourselves. When something is given the power of flight, usually via wings, they are transported to a higher existence according to our views, as in the Pegasus, the Pheonix, the Griffin, as each has mythological powers. Maybe I'll do my paper on winged creatures in the Bible, hmmmmm.........

2006-09-21T10:56:00.000-07:00

I was interested in the idea Fry presented on the word 'Whore'. Even now I have trouble writing it in my blog because of the taboo of the word conditioned in me. Throughout mythology and history even, there have been the symbolic muse of the harlet. In Chicano literature she is called La Malinche, the woman who accompanied Cortes to later help him conquer mexico, and in that is now seen as a traitor and a 'whore'. In the dictionary :
NOUN:
1. A prostitute. 2. A person considered sexually promiscuous. 3. A person considered as having compromised principles for personal gain.
The following synopsis is from this link: http://atschool.eduweb.co.uk/SBS777/prophecy/whore.html

2006-09-21T10:45:00.000-07:00

Gnostic- I thought that I might WIKI this work because I didn't know exactly what Mrs. Sexson was talking about regarding the Gnostic in class on Tuesday. They were active in the fist few centuries AD and considered themselves to be Christians. It is derived from the Greek work 'Gnosis' expressing understanding through individual experience. They believe that following this way of thought is an escape from ignorance. The WIKI goes on toe explain the fasting rituals and the importance of abstinence to some of its practitioners.
There was a ton of information on this site http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gnosticism Im afraid I could not do it justice.

2006-09-08T10:10:00.000-07:00

7 Days? 900 Years?
Something that struck me as odd in the Bible were the numbers used in the beginning of the Bible, and I wanted to explore some of the ideas associated with the numbers used in Genesis. What I came up with, and this is tangential, is the idea of Progressive Creationism. They teach something other than the traditional literal 7 day theory of creation, and their thoughts are that, using science, "They reject the literal six-day creation and substitute each day representing enormous lengths of time". Something similar to Progressice Creationism is called the 'Gap Theory' or what we learned in class called the Lacunae. Both ideas still state that they are in agreeance with the Christian ideals, the difference is is that they believe that between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2 there is a possible time gap of millions, possibly billions of years. As in theological hypotheses, similar views are not always in agreement but they do believe that:

The "Big Bang" is interpreted as God's way of producing stars and galaxies through billions-of-years of natural processes.
The Earth and universe are billions of years old.
The days of Creation were overlapping periods of millions and billions of years.
Death and bloodshed have existed from the very beginning of Creation and were not the result of Adam's sin. Man was created after the vast majority of earth's history of life and death had already taken place.
The flood of Noah was local, not global and it had little affect on the Earth's geology which represents billions of years of history.

*I collected this information from : http://www.christiananswers.net/q-eden/edn-c009.html

2006-09-01T13:04:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! I should start by expressing my excitement for another Sexson Blog! I did this last one for his Mythology class last spring. Upon hearing the assignment of a blog along with the class I thought it was a way to fit in busy work and sneak us into using a pointless form of online banter, but I actually ended up loving it! It was a great way to converse with my fellows about the days classes, and compare notes, sometimes when I had missed a class (which of course didn't happen very often, ahem). But in all honesty, I think it adds another dimension to my learning, and coaxes me into delving into the subject matter at hand a little more thoroughly.
My first blog I would like to do is on the Dead Sea Scrolls. Someone mentioned the scrolls in class on thursday, so I decided that I would find some information on it, if only for myself.

I found a lot of information online about the dead sea scrolls, and if you would like a quick link to read about it yourself: http://www.ibiblio.org/expo/deadsea.scrolls.exhibit/Library/library.html
But the short of it is a compilation of document fragments, some more 'important' than others, found in caves neighboring the Dead Sea. In 1947 a shephard lost his goat, and went searching for the rascal in one of the caves later turning out to be one in the eleven caves that held peices of text from the Hebrew Bible among other things. What a marvel! The caves are located in and around the Wadi Quarman:

2006-09-01T10:49:00.000-07:00

ENGL 211- Blog starting after this.....thanks for visiting!!!

2006-04-30T19:52:00.000-07:00

Robin Blackburn
4-18-06
Dr. Sexson
My Life as a Mythic Detective

Through my life, or at least my short life thus far as a mythic detective, I would like to report that yes, I have found Oz in Bozeman. Maybe it’s not the Oz of Dorothy and Toto, but mythic nonetheless. After much scouring the countryside for a land that would possess the ‘horse of a different color’, I realized that Oz had been underneath my nose this whole time, and that I had been visiting this Oz almost weekly. No, you cannot follow the yellow brick road to this Oz, but you can follow the black pavement adorned with a yellow dashed line. You too can find Oz, so I will share my voyage with you today, in hopes that you can also find that after all, the magical Oz is in a place we all call our home.
After strapping on your Nike shoes[1], through which you pay homage to the Greek winged goddess of Victory, you can hop into your chariot of choice, something with a mythological name would be ideal, possibly Mercury[2] who served as a messenger to the gods or even better a Saturn, who is the Roman god of Agriculture. At first glance, you may miss the mythic qualities of this Oz, but to the trained eye, which we all possess now, thanks to our mythic sinsay Dr. Sexson; there is no mistaking, that this place has been touched by the myth. Once you have arrived at the destination marked with an ‘A’ and a leaf, you will walk to the doors that magically open for you. I knew something was peculiar when over the loudspeaker U2 was singing, ‘Like a siren she calls to me’[3].
The mythic aisles that lay out in front of you are full of mythology, and yes, if you haven’t guessed it, we are in Albertson’s. This OZ is full of mythic clues, some smell, most taste, but all must be bought with a coin or green dollar bill. The color of money was thought to be substantial in the invention of the Emerald City, and here in Oz-Bozeman, the mighty dollar still reigns. You may need a womb, or basket, for those who haven’t had the pleasure of seeing a mythic explanation of Easter, to get started.
Now, a trained mythic detective may know they are onto something when they think of all the food in our lives; that which we eat to nourish ourselves, the bread and wine during communion, even the role of agriculture on the economy. Food also plays a significant part in mythology as well; Italians wore garlic to ward off the ‘evil eye’, Romans thought cabbage was a cure-all for ailments, Native Americans worshipped beans, and Hindu’s feared them[4]. We may also think of all the food in fairy tales. Gingerbread served as a house for Hansel and Gretel, Rapunzels mother longed for Rampion, the poisoned apple eaten by Snow White, children born from the cores of fruits, and so on. Once we step into this mythical Oz, we can see that Demeter has visited; her bounty of fruit and grains lay out in front of our eyes.
As I was having this inner monologue about fairy tales, I realized I was standing in front of a bunch of yams. Strange looking things I thought, surely yams could not have any mythic qualities, unless an orange god had had a mythic bowel movement. Then I remembered something I had come across while planning my dream honeymoon to Fiji. Although embarrassed that I didn’t even have a boyfriend to facilitate any sort of engagement to bring up the topic of a Fijian honeymoon, I secretly yearned to eat mythical foods from age-old recipes. In Polynesian Mythology, the yam, a root vegetable close to that of the sweet potato, was thought to have been a gift from the gods. It is a staple now in Polynesian diets, thanks to the god Ronogo-maui who went to heaven and stole the yam from his brother[5]. Who would have thought that the yearly yam and marshmallow surprise that your grandmother makes at Thanksgiving was so mythic!
While in Oz, you may want to pick up some breakfast food to start your days of myth detecting off right. Ceres[6], the Roman goddess of grain, has an aisle dedicated solely to her! Don’t forget to add some potassium with a banana, this fruit was thought to be the forbidden fruit that tempted Eve, its scientific name reflects this as well, being paradisiaca[7]. Further on, as you make your way to the back of the store, you may notice a tank of lobster. How impressed I was that OZ had its’ very own Poseidon, blessing us with his bounty from the sea. And next to this, you can even purchase pieces of the Marathonian Bull! Yes, the same Bull that Theseus captured! [8] And while you are there why not get some, ribs of Minotaur[9]. This half man, half bull goes well with a nice Chianti, the butcher told me, hmmm, very mythical! Chianti, a dry red table wine, was thought to have been brought to us by Dionysus[10], the god of fertility and wine, but don’t worry, no blood or flesh sacrifices need to be made now, in order to taste this fruit of the vine.
When you come to an aisle marked with a six, you may want to pause, I decided to walk down aisle 6 marked coffee and tea, because to me this no doubt carried with it some mythic quality, if only because it had gotten me through many a late night cram session. The Chinese and Japanese also shared a similar respect for these two aromatic elixirs. The legendary tea plant was thought to have been created from the eyelids of a certain Buddhist monk who wanted to punish himself for falling asleep during meditation. As for coffee, this beverage was served to Muhammad by the archangel Gabriel. After which Muhammad mounts his stallion and defeats forty knights in tournaments and then lets forty women ‘taste the sweetness of his love’[11].
In Oz you’ll remember that Dorothy and her crew were made over. Conveniently you will find that in Aisle 13 you can find some of Persephone’s beauty[12], or at least makeup that will help you mimic it. Also, if your kitchen sink is looking a little dingy, there is a mythical clue here as well for you. Named after the Greek warrior who really ‘Cleaned up” in battle, the popular household cleaner Ajax[13] can be found right next to the bleach and underneath the Dawn. If it is Hercules physique you are after, aisle 15 has supplements and vitamins to support any half-godly attempts at greatness.
After your afternoon of myth detecting, you may find that you are a bit tired. After you bid your checker adieu and give him a bow to salute the god in him, click your heels twice and go have a nap to recharge your myth detection. Hopefully, upon lying down, Morpheus[14], the god of dreams, will bless you with a nice adventure. The last one I had was unfortunately about killer yams!
[1] The winged goddess of Victory, Goddess of Pallus and Styx- Wikipedia.
[2] American Heritage Dictionary- A god that served as messenger to the other gods, also the god of commerce, travel, and thievery. Roman name for Hermes.
[3] U2, “In God’s Country”
[4] http://resnicklibrary.wordpress.com/2006/03/28/food-in-world-mythology-nectar-and-ambrosia/
[5] Ronogo-maui stole the yam, hid it in his clothing, impregnated his wife, and that is how the yam was brought to earth. http://www.mythencyclopedia.com/Pa-Pr/Polynesian-Mythology.html
[6] daughter of Saturn and Rhea
[7] Encyclopedia of food and culture, 161.
[8] Theseus’ trip to Athens; Medea persuaded Aegeus to trick Theseus into the hopeless feat, but he succeeded.
[9] From the story of Theseus by Ovid.
[10] http://www.answers.com/topic/dionysus?method=8 His characteristic worship was ecstatic and women were prominently involved. Votaries, through music, dancing, and drinking, and through eating flesh and blood of sacrificial animals, attempted to merge their identities with nature.
[11] Food in Myth and Legend, 547-548, Encyclopedia of Food and Culture.
[12] Wikipedia- Greek and Roman religion, goddess of fertility and queen of the underworld, known for beauty.
[13] Most valuable king in the battlefield, -Wikipedia
[14] http://community-2.webtv.net/@HH!AA!52!9A42B599BC2E/TerMcC/Morpheus/

2006-04-23T17:27:00.000-07:00

This weekend I went to a wedding in Florida. The bride was a good friend of mine, whom I had met on my semester at sea trip a couple of years ago. It dawned on me how traditional most wedding ceremonies are, they all have people coming down the aisle, most the time in two's, there is always someone presiding over, i.e. a priest, etc. etc. My friend and her husband did a really neat thing where they took sand from where they had fallen in love and sand from Naples, where they got married and put them together, somewhat like a unity candle. It was supposed to represent the way that now the past and present is infused and they are one. Here is a link to the Wikipedia for Hymenaios- the God of marriage ceremonies: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hymenaios Something from this that I thought was interesting is some thought it was more than a coicidence that hymen and his name both represent a new 'life' or something substatial in the life of a bride and groom.

2006-04-19T05:48:00.001-07:00

I was reading through other's blogs, and came upon Triton's 'Death of a really big fish'. It made me think of the goldfish that I had when I was younger, and then was the thought partly behind me getting my goldfish tattoo in japan. Talk about a mythic adventure! I was on a Voyage of Discovery, semester at sea fall 2003, and I wanted something to commemorate my voyage, besides shaving my head that is. So I decided to get a tattoo in Japan. The Japanese attention to detail was beyong measure, and I knew that anywhere I was to visit, Japan's tattoo artists seemed like a sure thing. I had never actually wanted to get a tattoo, some dream about getting tattoos, but I was never one of them. But as my middle name could be spontinaety, I decided to go 'under the gun'. It hurt like a MOTHER! I got my tattoo on my hip. The cute little chinese man asked me if I had planned on having babies, and at that moment in my life, I planned on adopting children of different colors; a rainbow of sorts!

2006-04-19T05:48:00.000-07:00

2006-04-18T18:35:00.000-07:00

I had a dream the other night that I was in India, dressed in a sari and eating curry. I ate spicy food before I went to bed, so maybe that is why I dreamt of curry. It made me miss the time I spent in India, although short-lived. I think it also came through channeling Joseph Cambell's movie, the last one we watched had a lot of different cultural examples, one being sand painting.

When I was there i saw women sand painting. They would do the most elaborate works every morning to pay homage to their gods. Talk about religious religion! It made me realize that I was weak in my faith it seemed, when making time to go to church once a week was a stretch! Anyways, the Indian women let us all try the painting, I wrote "mom" because straight lines were a lot easier to do than curvies.

2006-04-18T18:26:00.000-07:00

I am trying to do my finished project for class tomorrow, here is my outline:
I. Intro
II. Food
-Cereal: Ceres
-Fish man: Poseidon
-Demeter: market section-fresh foods
-Yam: Polonesian Mythology
-Mars: candy bar
III. Other:
-supplements- Hercules muscles
-beauty section-for Persephone’s beauty
-Cleaning supplies- ajaxGreek warrior in the Trojan War, who "cleaned up" in battle; popular household cleanser.
I am not sure how to write it up to make it interesting, but I can report that I am finding some really great stuff about food, besides the above outline. I initally wanted to have a slideshow of me doing cheesy yet entertaining things, but I think it will be a short presentation, so I hope i can find a way to do it without everyone being bored.

2006-04-10T09:52:00.000-07:00

In response to Jennifer Harris' "The College Hero".

I enjoyed Jenny's Blog titled 'The College Hero' because I feel that we all are going through something similar in our college experience, hopefully we all will be graduating soon, as Jenny is. It is a challenge that everyone in our class is striving to meet, that of receiving out college diploma. We have 'heard the siren's call' and are taking the necessary precautions to meet those small to daunting tasks in hopes that someday we will be able to be the hero. For me, unlike Jenny, it has taken be a bit longer to get through school. When I decided to answer the call, I didn't exactly have the necessary energies and directions that one needs to make it to the summit. I listened too often to what others said, others becoming the tricksters in my life, those who threw me off track and halted my forward movement. These trickesters could be personified parties, sorority functions, boys, money-hungry elders pish-poshing my ideas to do something I wanted rather than what I would be good at, in the hopes to make a heap of money. In retrospect, the latter was the biggest obstacle I had to face, and after a trip around the world, and a new respect for myself I was able to fully engage in Robin's journey.
Soon enough, thanks also to Diane Donnelly and Dr. Sexson's guidance, I will be onto the next step in my life, that of taking my GRE and beginning grad school in hopes to become a school counselor. School counselor a coincidence??? I think not! Life is cyclical, shown to us in the last installment of Joseph Campbell, and I have a drive to help those whose journey has been halted due to low self-esteem, lack of guidance, etc.

2006-04-10T09:39:00.000-07:00

Epiphany
A Christian feast celebrating the manifestation of the divine nature of Jesus to the Gentiles as represented by the Magi. January 6, on which this feast is traditionally observed.
A revelatory manifestation of a divine being. A sudden manifestation of the essence or meaning of something. A comprehension or perception of reality by means of a sudden intuitive realization: ÂI experienced an epiphany, a spiritual flash that would change the way I viewed myselfÂ (Frank Maier).

This class could be said to be an epiphany to one who applies it to his or her life. When we have one of those 'aha' moments, where things make sense in a whole new way, much the way that Dr. Sexson is asking us to apply Mythology to our everyday lives, when it makes sense, that is an Epiphany. I have had a majoepiphanyny in this class. I was raised in a stricChristianan family, and througtravelingng and keeping an open mind, instead of viewinChristianityty as a 'my way or the highway' I see it a little more the way I think it is to be viewed and applied. Many religions seem to be based on common threads, but through the years, and the wars that religion has fueled, it has seemed to have lost its proper application. Mepiphanyny took place while studyinBuddhismsm in Beijing, much of the idea oBuddhismsm is to become Christst-like figure, or in their culture, Buddhaha; not to worship an idol, as many faith-centrics would like us to believe. I felt that the culture thaBuddhismsm produced could not be all wrong, how could something be wrong that respected everything God has made? Well, a lot of thought and poderace went into this and other ideas, and I have realized that my faith is what I make of it, it is a process not a list of do's and don't.

2006-04-10T09:18:00.000-07:00

I had heard the hubbub around The Wizard of Oz and its supposed various meanings, so I decided to do a bit of googling on this wonderful world of Dorothy. I had heard, from an early age that not only could the movie be played to 'The Dark Side of the Moon' but also that on a certain part one could make out a munchkin committing suicide! After some research, I found the supposed spot and hunkered down to watch the untimely death of a little one. When the wicked witch yells that she will 'stuff a mattress with you!' while standing on top of a house, one can make out in the background something peculiar. As Dorothy and her crew begin skipping down the yellowbrick road, back in the set of the forest, I could make out a little things climbing up a tree and then something swinging from it. Whether this is the last cry for help from a little man, or just a mere prop failure, is the question. During my research I also found some interesting ideas for what the story was supposed to represent. http://members.cox.net/stegokitty/dsotr_pages/hidden_meaning.htm
This website claims that the story of The Wizard of Oz is an extended metaphor meant to represent the 1896 debate over using the gold standard as a measure for currency.
http://www.turnmeondeadman.net/OZ/Intro.html This website takes a different idea entirely and shows the parallels between Dorothy's journey and that of a spiritual journey. Accounts of Buddhist, 'New Age', and Christian perspectives see her quest in mythological terms. It also mentions the idea that Oz could be read as a Freudian 'coming of age' story. The latter website has a plethora of different ideas about the Wizard of Oz, check it out!!

2006-04-05T09:10:00.000-07:00

I really enjoyed Valerie's presentation today! She was very thorough in her research, which gave me ideas for my own movie as well as my own presentation that is coming up. I wanted to find any significance in the use of cedar boughs in burial, and through googles I found that Cedar boughs are sacred in the winter solstice, and are used as part of alters and offerings. I didn't quite find that great link that brought it all together for me, but I did see a lot of advertisements for 'aromatic cedar caskets'. This somewhat added to the idea when 'nobody' put William Blake in the canoe with cedar boughs, that he was practicing a traditional burial that our 'cedar caskets' stem from today. I did find a link to a copy of the prophecy of Ezekiel, where in it mentions the importance of cedar and cedar boughs in the Bible. I realize now that my hunch was right; cedar boughs have gone back thousands of years as significant and functional greenery.http://www.drbo.org/chapter/31031.htm

2006-04-04T10:00:00.000-07:00

Eleusinian-
My sorority is very mythological, and as I cannot reveal certain cereomonial secrets and meanings, I will do my best to explain. I am a member of the sigma beta chapter of Chi Omega, which is a sorority here at MSU. Well last night there was a gathering of alums and members (congregation, which is mythological as well) that we call Eleusinian. This is a dinner that we have to mark the anniversary of our founding. In researching the work Eleusinian, I found that many unmentionable things parallel the Eleusinian Mysteries. The Eleusinian Mysteries in mythology were annual initiation ceremonies for the cult of Demeter and Persephone based at Eleusis in ancient Greece. To read more :http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pannychis

2006-04-04T09:46:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, April 3rd I had a mythological adventure, alas having to skip mythologies to continue my quest to greatness. I am volunteering at a place in town in hopes to get experience in counseling, because I want to be a school counselor. Well, anyways I was 'called to task' during one of my sit-ins, which was very scary at first. I could have chickened out and fled, ignored the call, or, and as I did, I answered this 'call' and jumped feet first into adventure. As I see my eventual goal of being a school counselor, through mythology class, I am being able to apply me as a hero in my everyday life to what we are learning in class. I don't wear jousting apparel or wear bullet proof vests and spout poetic musings, but I do feel that boldness and optimism inside. This is part of of my journey, a journey to Nirvana for monks, heaven for christians, and at this time in my life, purpose for me :) Ooooommmmm!

2006-03-27T10:21:00.000-08:00

Coffee and Cigarettes
Directed by Jim Jarmusch

This movie was broken into separate scenes with different people in each scene, but certain attributes to the set, language, or mythic undercurrents tied them all together. Before I delve into the mythic ideas in each separate scene, I first want to point out the similarities throughout all of them. There was a decoration throughout the sets in Coffee and Cigarettes. The actors in each scene were all placed facing each other around, most often, a small table or booth decorated with some sort of checked motif. Whether it was a checked table cloth or a black and white checked surface, each table had a chess board theme. Not only did each have a checkered cover, but in may the walls also had decorations of a similar diamond or checkered style, even in ‘cousins’ the teacups that the two cousins drink from have a checked decoration. Now, this could be the mere unoriginality of the writer or director to have this layout, but I would argue that it has a mythic quality about it.
The myth of the chess board can be related back to Lewis Carroll’s Alice and Wonderland, where Alice’s world is filled with formal arrangement, connecting the world’s different pieces all together. This is what I saw throughout the movie; the way that the conversations seemed to gel together, with related conversations and issues. The way that they each were consuming some sort of coffee and a cigarette, or talking about how horrible it would be to ingest either, it made us see their world as relatable, although very different. The coffee and the cigarettes as well as the mythical chess board themes related this throughout. At the end of ‘Delerium’ the director gives us the clue if we pick up on it, as the actor leaves the table and is ‘off to play chess’.
In the bit entitled ‘Jack shows Meg his Tesla Coil’, Jack brings in his piece of conversation in on a red wagon, reminding me of the poem by Williams about the Red Wheelbarrow. We had just touched on this poem in my creative writing class, and it was interesting how new eyes allowed me to see a significance that I would have otherwise dismissed. As Jack was explaining his coil to Meg, he touched on the significance of Tesla’s idea that the entire planet is like a Tesla coil; the earth is a conductor of acoustical resonance, and that we could essentially have free energy if we used this energy model. This Tesla Coil idea was also seen in the last story, ‘Champagne’ where the two janitors are talking, one is feeling ‘divorced from the world’ and is hearing a song in his head, as Tesla would have seen or heard an energetic song from the earth. The dreamer of the two mentions Tesla’s ‘acoustical resonance’.
The story that struck me as the most mythological was ‘Cousins’. At first viewing, I found it boring and I couldn’t find any significance to the babbling twosome. A well off English woman met her unruly cousin for tea and scones. I realized later that the two were perfect archetypes! They were the nurturing mother figure, blonde and proper, who talked about her child in a loving way, as the other was the unruly dark haired woman. As I caught on, everything that came out of their mouths fit the model. This destructive woman was also seen in the part entitled ‘Renee’, where the woman has her coffee just perfect before a waiter comes and ruins it, which reminded me of the first creation stories when woman had everything in balance until destruction came. In ‘Renee’ she is reading ballistics magazines full of guns, and she is beautiful with dark hair and lips, also following the dangerous woman archetype.
Nostalgia also played throughout each scene. In the bar scene with Iggy, they converse about the pie and coffee generation which has changed to the coffee and cigarette generation of today. Jack’s pondering of Tesla’s idea that energy could have been free, the mobsters with their three generations present, the eldest giving the father advice about his unhealthy lifestyle. In Champagne, with the janitors, the first dreams of a better time, a romantic time; Paris and New York in the 1970’s.
There are also the twins, ying and yang of each other, fighting and yet identical and perfectly a perfectly matched brother and sister in the same clothes. The man who sits and rolls doubles every time, in ‘No Problem’ reminds me also of the Gemini idea where everything is matched, but also of Sheherezhaad, who has to make up stories to save her life. In this setting the man meeting his friend may have to make up a story to get his friend to stay, to keep his interest, to not exterminate the meeting. There is ‘No Problem’, so the friend leaves.
Throughout the movie, an underlying theme ran throughout. The idea that the collective unconscious comes out in our conversations and everyday activities is illustrated in the repetitions of words and actions in the different stories. All stories are recycled and repeated in our lives by those we don’t even know, in attempt to be out own ‘king’ at the end of out chess or checker board.

2006-03-27T09:38:00.000-08:00

My first memory of death
My pony 'Princess' died. I remember it like it was yesterday! I was in my yard and my parents told me that she was not going to be coming back, I didn't understand it and I was asking to ride her before she left. I don't know that they ever used the word 'death' and now that is why I have issues, just kidding. But I just really recall a sense of confusion, because being four, it was my first experience with something dying. I didn't actually get to see Princess dead, and maybe this was a good thing, even though she only died of old age, but if I was to have seen the dead pony I may have understood it a little better. RIP Princess!

2006-03-19T16:56:00.000-08:00

This spring break I did something very mythological. I was my own hero for the week, like Campbell talks about. I decided to be a hero for the Robin of tomorrow and stay home and work instead of adding to the debt that I already have, woo hoo! I do work at an assisted living facility, so I was surrounded by people constantly talking about the good old days, or nostalgia. I could possibly have had a more epic spring break, but I'm sure someday I will thank myself for doing the responsible thing.... :)
I hope to live vicariously through my tan friends.

2006-03-01T10:20:00.000-08:00

This man is Art Fry, creator of the 3M sticky note we know as the 'Post-it Note'. His feat in developing the post-it note by chance and mistake is an example of what Dr. Sexson was talking about in class in that some really great things come from innovation after disasters. Art and his colleagues were trying to invent a new adhesive for the 3m line of Tape, and at the same time, Art was getting continually more fed up while in church, because his little scraps of paper for marking pages kept falling out. 3M had developed a new adhesive, but were upset because it didn't seem sticky enough to be of any use to them. Art had the idea of using the new adhesive in his church marker papers and voila! The sticky note was born! Error is necessary!

2006-02-23T12:30:00.000-08:00

Class Notes 2-22-06
Dr. Sexson spoke of two contradicting ideas in Mythologies; that we grow out of myths and that we still use it everyday, and it is an important part of our lives. One might think that we grow out of Myth as we get older, something also seen in cultures as the become more advanced; no longer are the gods above looking down. The Western world is a world of demythologization. We see god through the archetype of Zenopheses, the wise old man. p. 37 in our text, Uhemorous says that we start with history and then make it more entertaining, so that underneath all of the myth there is true history, i.e. Zeus probably was a real man in history. Dr. Sexson refutes the idea that we are better off now with less myth, he questions the idea that we are now enlightened compared to the way our 'savage and stupid' ancestors were. 'Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus'.

2006-02-16T10:17:00.000-08:00

Class Notes 2-15-06
Prof. Sexson enlightened us on the mythologies of Valentines Day. Eros is the force of desire and Cupid is the son of Aphrodite (review: Goddess of Love and Beauty- daughter of Zeus). The little guy on FTD flower arrangements is Hermes who, from Greek Mythology, is the god of commerce, invention, cunning, and theft, who also served as a messenger, scribe, and herald for the other gods (herald is a person who proclaims important news).
We are now in 'The Middles' section of the class, where we will learn of Men and Woman, Love and War. Dharma responsibility, truth, etc.
Reviewed Cambell's stance of completing the world with first turning inwards and changing ourselves, such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Ghandi.
We also discussed the farce that is the 'Biblical' saying 'God helps those who help themselves'.
P. 148 we need to know for the test, which is the Hero Formula, which extends on the SIT, separation, initiation, and transformation.
We are to read Ulysses, by James Joyce p. 674 which is the Roman name for Odysseus, because if we are not 'boring people' we should be able to understand why it is one of the best stories written.

2006-02-09T13:44:00.000-08:00

The World Within
I was really rather surprised at how much I enjoyed the Jung film on Tuesday night. I felt as though I was watching a man who had it all figured out, he seemed to exude a peace. Before it started the woman in charge of the movie told us about Jung's life and compared it to Freud, his mentor. While Freud took sexual signs literally, Jung went a step further (or back) and used sex more symbolically in his work. Freud and Jung oftentimes sat around and analyzed eachother's dreams, and some of these Jung painted in his Red Book. The paintings were so vibrant! My favorite was a man with light coming from his fingers and giant white wings, im not sure which archetype this was supposed to be but this and the rest of the paintings expressed such powerful dreams!
He talked about how 'being simple is difficult'. I think this was my favorite part because as Americans, not only as Earth-dwellers, we are so used to the fast-paced and complex side of life, but the soul finds solace in simplicity, as Jung says. He also discussed how 'Like the acorn grows to the tree, this is how man should grow, but most get stuck'. Speaking on how man leaves his personal journey prematurely. Overall, it was a very informative and entertaining (movie? Documentary?) when I could understand Jung through his thick accent.

2006-01-24T08:28:00.000-08:00

Urban Legends
To relate to what we talked about in class on friday I thought I would share my favorite Urban Legend. I was told when I was in junior high the story of the girl who wanted a golden tan before her prom night and ended up cooking her insides after lying in a tanning booth for three hours. My favorite part was that when the boyfriend came to pick her up that night, she smelled of perfume and burnt chicken; alas she died on the way to the dance.

2006-01-22T20:29:00.000-08:00

Dreams
Unfortunately remembered dreams are few and far between with me, but I could argue that the lack of dreams during the night at made up for by the constant daydream that I find myself in. I used to have really bizarre dreams, oftentimes I found I could pinpoint the reason for the dream by the content. For instance I had a very vivid and haunting dream of being in a concentration camp where I was trying to hide my shoes from soldiers. At the time I was researching the genocide of Sierra Leone, Africa and I had been contemplating the similarities and differences between that and the Jewish Holocaust. This was linked to to a trip I had taken to DC to see the Holocaust Museum and where I visited the room with the giant pile of shoes. So, the dream I had could be attributed to the present thoughts of the day. Sometimes though the strangest and most random things will show up in my dreams, such as me having a love affair with a totally random stranger in a class, afterwhich I would always feel awkward seeing that person, as if they knew. C'mon, we have all had those dreams...hahaha!
Tonight I will try by best to dream, so I can add to our myth, because I don't want to 'Myth-out'.

2006-01-19T22:16:00.000-08:00

testing

2006-01-17T09:08:00.000-08:00

My first memory took place when I was around two years old. I was sitting on a white wicker clothes hamper asking my mom why we were leaving wherever we were. Later through investagation I found out that my family, My father, mother, and I, were moving from Bedford, PA to Libby, Montucky. Short and sweet, but this memory holds a lot of emotion for me. I remember the lighting of the room and the trees outside of the window, and the feeling of confusion but more inquisitive rather than any sadness.
Blog one, over and out.